Decision Model Samples

OpenRules allows business users (subject matter experts with no programming experience) to create, test, and maintain operational decision models.  Usually a decision model consists of a business glossary that describes certain business goals/subgoals surrounded by decision tables that specify business logic of these goals/subgoals. Here is an example of the decision model “Vacation Days“:

Using Excel as an Ultimate Table Editor. To create and edit various tables, OpenRules allows business analysts to use their favorite MS Excel that without doubts is the best table editor! They create business rules in different xls-files and rely on the predefined table formats to represent the most complex business logic. They don’t need to use Excel formulas as OpenRules allows them to write formulas like in the following intuitive decision table:

Business analysts also create their test cases in Excel, and execute them directly from a File Manager. Excel isn’t needed during testing and execution.

Learn by Examples. The best way to learn how to create decision models is to analyze several simple examples:

• Hello Customer
• Vacation Days
• Up-Sell Rules
• Patient Therapy
• Loan Origination

You can use these and many other provided decision models to create your own models by adding your own decision variables and business rules. OpenRules also provides a User Manual that doesn’t require any preliminary knowledge.

Methodology. The following book describes Goal-Oriented Decision Modeling approach supported by OpenRules:

It describes many sample decision models included in the standard OpenRules installation.